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If you have a painful jaw, the last thing you will want is to have someone poking around or increasing your discomfort. When treated in the early stages of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD or jaw pain), the treatment is typically noninvasive and will relieve or decrease pain within a week or two. We offer treatment of TMD, or painful jaw joints, in our Fayetteville dental office.

Oral Appliance Therapy – Occlusal Splints and Nightguards

Occlusal splints and nightguards are similar oral appliances made of durable acrylic and custom-designed to fit your teeth perfectly with a thin frame and snug comfort.

While both are typically worn at night, a nightguard is designed to keep ...

If you regularly awaken with jaw pain, headaches, or sensitive teeth, you may be clenching and grinding your teeth, also called bruxism. When patients experience bruxism for a lengthy time, jaw dysfunction may develop.

Jaw pain and dysfunction, called TMJ, or more accurately, TMD – temporomandibular joint dysfunction – can have a severe impact on your quality of life. Living with pain can deplete your energy, disrupt sleep, and limit the foods you can comfortably eat.

A recent article outlines some ways to combat TMJ pain at home, which may help relieve the symptoms of TMD. Unfortunately, these exercises only provide a temporary fix, and the problem still exists and disrupts healthy jaw ...

If you have ever yawned a little too enthusiastically and felt a sharp pop in your jaw joint, it probably caused momentary pain and alarm, but you quickly forgot about it and went about your daily business. It’s regular popping upon opening or closing that is a cause for concern and means it is time to schedule a trip to our Fayetteville dental office.

Why Jaw Joints Pop

Each of your jaw joints, called temporomandibular joints or TMJ, have a small disc that glides on top of the joint condyle as the jaw opens and closes, while still allowing the teeth to come together upon closing. When teeth do not come ...

If you are showing signs of bruxism (teeth grinding), it won't surprise you to know that you should talk to your dentist. What might surprise you is when your dentists ask if you drink coffee or alcohol, or smoke cigarettes. There is an important reason for this question, though.

The Journal of the American Dental Association recently published its findings on how alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and drug abuse impact sleep bruxism (chronic grinding and clenching while you sleep), and the results supported a connection between bruxism and alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco. However, there is currently no sufficient evidence to determine any connection between abused drugs ...

Tooth sensitivity can be a real pain. In fact, you might have to avoid some of the foods and beverages you love because your teeth can’t take the cold. In many cases, a special sensitivity toothpaste can help, but addressing the root of the problem can provide lasting relief.

Common Causes of Tooth Sensitivity

Bruxism – Bruxism, or clenching and grinding your teeth can cause sensitivity because of the added stress to your teeth and bite. Often, a nightguard or an occlusal splint can help relieve the symptoms of bruxism and protect your teeth.

Gum recession – When your gums recede, it can expose the sensitive root structure and may be more sensitive ...

Do you wake up with sore muscles that feel like they have put in a whole night of strenuous work? Do you have headaches or soreness that disrupt your morning or nag at you throughout the day? Do you have tooth sensitivity to cold air or beverages? You might suffer from nighttime tooth grinding.

In addition to the symptoms you notice, you could be causing damage that you are completely unaware of. Because your jaws exert an extreme amount of force, you can actually cause damage to your own teeth, gums, and jaw.

When patients come to us with jaw pain, we start by performing a complete examination of your jaw joints, muscles, teeth, bite, and gums. All of these areas can provide clues as to why you might experience jaw pain. Sometimes patients come to us knowing they clench and grind their teeth, while other times, their symptoms have no immediate explanation.

At our Fayetteville dental office, we take a comprehensive approach to dentistry. We understand that a number of factors can cause jaw pain and that each patient is completely different in their needs and their medical history.

Problems of the jaw extend beyond TMJD (temporomandibular joint disorder) and can include your ...